TV camera's will be allowed into criminal trials in England and Wales for the first time ever starting from tomorrow.

The camera will only be able to capture the sentencing part of a trial as opposed to following the entire case like in the US.The UK's first televised sentencing will take place tomorrow (Thursday) for 25-year-old Ben Oliver who has admitted to manslaughter after stabbing his grandfather to death.Only Crown court proceedings will be televised as agreed in the new law change passed in 2020. Viewers will have the opportunity to see thirty minutes of court proceedings with the camera fixed solely on the judge however will not be shown the defendants, victims, jurors, lawyers or witnesses through the cameras.

The Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales, Lord Burnett, welcomed the change in the law.

"I think it's an exciting development, because it will help the public to understand how and why criminals get the sentences that they do," he said.

"Sentencing of serious criminal cases is something in which there is a legitimate public interest. And it's always seemed to me that this is a part of the criminal process which could be recorded and broadcast in many cases without compromising the interests of justice."

The new rules means that broadcasters Sky, ITN, Press Association and the BBC can ask permission to be able to film in the last stage of a criminal prosecution. Although sentencing hearings are already witnessed by journalists, the public will now be able to watch it for themselves without having to rely on simplified daily news reporting.

ITN's John Battle, chairman of the Media Lawyers Association, said the change was a "landmark moment for open justice".

"Court reporting is vital to democracy and the rule of law and this long overdue change is welcomed."